Sir, – I would like to congratulate Joe Joyce on his cogent and well-argued analysis of the likely position of Sinn Féin if or when they come into government ("No room for complacency over Sinn Féin in government", Opinion & Analysis, January 17th).
He lays out clearly their aims and the likely path they would follow, ditching their declared socialism for populism, the results of which are clearly to be seen in our neighbours on both sides of the Atlantic and drawing attention to where control ultimately lies.
His article should be widely disseminated. – Yours, etc,
GERALDINE O’DEA,
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Kells,
Co Meath.
Sir, – It's unfair of Michael McDowell to drag Donald Trump into his article about Sinn Féin's secretive "command and control" structure ("Does it matter how Sinn Féin organises itself?", Opinion & Analysis, January 19th).
Mr Trump was his own man, unlike Sinn Féin TDs who appear to be well-paid marionettes controlled by faceless men in Belfast. And of course Mr Trump, unlike Sinn Féin, is no fan of Hugo Chávez’s Venezuela, Fidel Castro’s Cuba or Hamas and Hizbullah. Admittedly Trump supporters were, like many of Sinn Féin’s, mostly people fed up with being played by Tweedledum and Tweedledee politicians more concerned about the liberal elites than ordinary voters. But then who isn’t? – Yours, etc,
KARL MARTIN,
Bayside,
Dublin 13.
Sir,– It is notable that any Irish Times columnist that dares to point out the transgressions or inconsistencies of Sinn Féin’s past or present modus operandi draws on themselves a veritable army of angry and anonymous Sinn Féin supporters in the comments section. That many of these comments are intemperate and badly written may not please the Sinn Féin political elite in their quest to appeal to a wider more mainstream fan base.
I note with some amusement that Michael McDowell’s articles appear to draw the most ire, with the mostly negative comments topping several hundred on occasion. The tone is often vituperative. No doubt your columnist considers this an honour of sorts! – Yours, etc,
CYNTHIA CARROLL,
Newport,
Co Tipperary.